YANGON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's union government announced on Monday exemption of commercial tax for exporters for a period of six months in a bid to boost export in face of depreciation of US dollar. The exemption measure , which is effective from Aug. 15, 2011 to Feb. 14, 2012, covers seven export items of rice, beans and pulses, corn, sesame, rubber, freshwater and saltwater products and animal products (except prohibited ones).

HCM CITY — The Government should restrain the import of luxury goods to help curb the nation's trade deficit, economists said. In the first seven months of the year, the country's trade deficit stood at US$6.64 billion, accounting for 12.9 per cent of total exports, according to the General Statistics Department. Figures from the Customs Department for the period show that Viet Nam imported 38,138 completely-built autos, up 38.9 per cent in quantity and 41 per cent in value over the same period last year.

NEW DELHI: The European Union is pushing for more foreign investment in a slew of sectors-banking, insurance, legal, accounting, postal, maritime and security services-but is unwilling to allow a bigger number of Indian professionals to work in the 27-member union. The EU is also reluctant in permitting services trade through electronic channels.

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has decided to impose provisional anti-dumping measures on imports of photographic paper and paper board originating in the European Union (EU), the United States and Japan.

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- China will prolong its anti-subsidy probe by one month on potato starch imported from the European Union, said the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Monday. The investigation will be completed before Sept. 30, 2011, one month after the previous deadline, since the case was "special" and "complicated," according to a statement posted on the ministry's website. China launched an anti-subsidy investigation on the imports of EU-made potato starch on Aug. 30, 2010 at the request of the China Starch Industry Association.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp said a free-trade accord between Canada and Colombia that takes effect today puts the U.S. at a disadvantage and underscores the need to pass the nation’s own stalled agreements. “I urgently call on the president to send the job-creating trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea to Congress without further delay,” Camp, a Michigan Republican, said today in a statement.

(Reuters) - Republican lawmakers fumed on Monday over potential lost American exports because of a free trade deal between Canada and Colombia that has taken force before President Barack Obama has even sent a five-year-old U.S.-Colombia agreement to Congress for a vote. "Today's entry into force of the trade agreement between Canada and Colombia means that -- for no good reason -- U.S. workers and exporters are now disadvantaged in Colombia, a key export market for American-made goods and services," said House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp.

WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - The United States and European Union on Monday urged the Philippines to quickly comply with a new World Trade Organization ruling by ending a discriminatory tax system against foreign alcoholic beverages like Jack Daniel's and Spain's Brandy de Jerez. "Today's panel report confirms that the Philippines' taxes on imported distilled spirits are discriminatory and inconsistent with WTO rules," U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in statement.

MANILA, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The Philippine government will ask the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to revisit a ruling that declared a tax levied on spirits from the European Union and the United States in violation of the trade body's rules, a senior official said on Tuesday. The WTO ruled on Monday that the Philippines' alcohol taxes discriminated against brands such as Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam as well as Spain's Brandy de Jerez, while favouring domestic producers in the archipelago's $3.4 billion spirits market.

YANGON, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's marine products export earnings amounted to 150.78 million U.S dollars in the first four months (April to July) of the fiscal year 2011-12, decreasing by 16 percent from 180.18 million dollars in the same period of 2010- 11, the local Biweekly Eleven News reported Sunday. Earnings from crab exports ranked first, followed by labeo rohita, hilsa ilisha and prawn. Myanmar's border trading activities are mostly done through border points of Tachilek, Kawthoung, Myawaddy, Myeik, Muse, Lwejie, Chin Shwe Haw, Kanbaitee, Sittway and Maunghtaw.